The Society urges Lewisham Council to redouble its efforts to find a developer able to bring the building back to life.
Grade II-listed, 1884, Wilson & Son and Thomas Aldwinkle
The benefactors of Ladywell Baths committed to building a bathhouse after the Public Health Acts of 1848 and 1875, which encouraged local authorities to take responsibility for public health and sanitation. It was built in a Venetian Gothic style, and with its Gothic arches, huge circular tower with turret, stained glass windows, and decorative ironwork, it must have made an impact on the local community. The baths attracted thousands of people when they opened in 1884, with local newspapers reporting that ‘cleanliness was next to godliness’ because the baths were so close to the parish church, but they closed in 2004, and sustained extensive damage from a fire in 2006. The baths have since lost their turret and other decorative features, and remain vacant, at risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric. The local council, who owns the building, carried out urgent repairs to keep it water tight several years ago, but it has struggled to find a prospective buyer on account of its poor condition. With a property boom across London, the baths have significant redevelopment potential, so there is no good reason that a developer should not come forward soon.
Director of the The Victorian Society, Christopher Costelloe, said: ‘We’re grateful to everyone who nominated Ladywell Baths. Like all the buildings included in this year’s Top Ten, Ladywell Baths is a listed building meaning that the Government has recognised its national importance. What was once a hub of the community deserves better than lying empty half obscured by trees. I urge the public to share the Top Ten list, and Griff’s message, to help raise awareness of the building’s situation and help it find the investment is so desperately needs.’
Status Update / March 2026
Shortly after appearing on our list in 2016, Curzon Cinemas put forward proposals for the restoration and redevelopment of the site as a cinema. The main screen was to be contained within a discrete ‘bubble’ inside the main space to allow visitors to appreciate the historic pool. These plans never came to fruition, however, and in 2025 the local council stepped in to take control of the building. A fresh consultation was launched in spring of this year, with a view to identifying a new use and restoration partner.